Archaeological Excavations at Versailles

Duration : 2006-2018

In 2019, the archaeological activity leaves the Research Center to be attached to the Directorate of Heritage and Gardens (DPJ) of the Établissement public de Versailles (EPV), which it was dependent on before 2006.

Although some of the operations in the grounds of Versailles since the beginning of the 20th century can be considered archaeological in that they have revealed ancient remains, it is only in the last twenty years that one can truly speak of archaeology at Versailles.

In fact, before 1990, there had been only four excavations. The first, at the beginning of the 20th century, had a purely historical objective: to uncover vestiges of the Porcelain Trianon, and in particular to find earthenware shards. The three others were, in fact, excavation works for new terraces, part of a larger restoration programme that included: renovating the southern branch of the Grand Canal in 1932, which revealed the remains of the round fountain located between this branch and the Menagerie; terracing on the Saint Anthony plain, which led to the fortuitous discovery of medieval tombs in 1960; and an abortive project to restore the Grove of the Three Fountains, in 1980, which uncovered vestiges of the Encelade Grove. However, these operations were not followed up with any excavation report, and only the first two were covered in the local specialist press.

The 1990s opened with the launch of a major policy of replanting in the park of Versailles, after the storm of 3 February 1990. This replanting was to include laying out the groves to the original design of André Le Nôtre, as they were when he died in 1700. Before the works started, this project entailed a detailed historical and archaeological study. The archaeological operation was divided into two parts: probes during the preliminary study and more extensive excavation once the work had started. Since 1990, around twenty archaeological excavations have been undertaken in the park of Versailles, the majority in the formal gardens laid out by Louis XIV in front of the palace. Some excavations have, nevertheless, been carried out elsewhere, notably in the main courtyard of the palace and the grounds of the Trianon. Since the Estate of Marly was placed under the responsibility of the Estate of Versailles in 2009, three programmed excavations have been completed.

Operations carried out since 1990

Grille Royale: general view of the northern section of the overlapping foundations laid down by Le Vau and Mansart successively. 2006.

• 2007: general excavation of half of the garden of the Pavillon Frais de Trianon.

• 2008: probes in the Queen’s Grove in search of remains of the former Labyrinth.

• 2009: a stratigraphic study of the western section of the garden of the Pavillon Frais de Trianon [see the downloadable document at the bottom of the page for a description of the porcelain objects found in this garden].

• 2013: planned excavation of the original fountains in the Marly Park, La Rivière waterfall and the Nappes fountain.

•2014: first year of the three year excavations plan programed for the Domaine de Marly estate: the third Pavillon du Levant (Eastern pavilion) and the Bassin des Boules ( Balls Pond); surveys in the Grand Trianon gardens.

•2015: second year of the three year excavations plan programed for the Domaine de Marly estate: the Pavillon Royal (Royal Lodge); surveys near the Queen’s house at Trianon; excavation of the Le Vau wall in the Cour des Princes (Prince’s Courtyard) at Versailles.

•2016: symposium at the Château de Versailles auditorium “25 years of Royal Archeology” and exhibition at the Musée-Promenade Museum at Marly-Louveciennes “Remembering life at Versailles and Marly, 25 years of Royal Archeology”. Papers from this conference accessible on the Bulletin du Centre de recherche du château de Versailles (in french).

•2017: Excavation, in collaboration with Inrap, in the central building of the château, as part of the ‘Master Plan’. During this dig, the remains of the first château of Louis XIV were discovered, as well as traces of uncompleted projects. A plaster decoration that was missing from the apartments of the Dauphin was also discovered.

The foundations of a boundary wall and a fountain in the King’s Garden at the Trianon.

•2018: Surveys in the King’s Garden at the Trianon, during which the foundations of a boundary wall and a fountain were exhumed.

Alongside this work carried out by the Palace of Versailles, several other operations have been conducted by the Institut national pour la recherche en archéologie préventive (INRAP). Two diagnostic archaeological operations were carried out in 2006: one in the Cour Royale and the other in the courtyard of the Grand Commun. The latter was then followed up with a full excavation of the courtyard. See article on surveys (in French).From 2012 to 2016, the Inrap has assisted the overall plan for the layout of technical areas and public entrances at the Château de Versailles: it has carried out a diagnosis and has monitored works on the Terrasse de Midi (Southern Terrace) and in the Cour des Princes (Prince’s Courtyard).

In 2019, the archaeological activity leaves the Research Center to be attached to the Directorate of Heritage and Gardens (DPJ) of the Établissement public de Versailles (EPV), which it was dependent on before 2006.

For all aditional information, refer to “Surveys and Excavations carried out at Versailles and Marly” (in French) or contact Annick Heitzmann: